Ejector fork



May 20, 1947.

S. LIVlNGSTON EJECTOR FORK Filed Nov. 30, 1944 Patented May 2G, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EJECTORv FORK Seymour Livingston, NewYork, Y.

Application November 30, 194A,` Serial No. 565,859

(o1. :io- 129.0 f

4' Claims. l

The invention relates to `new and useful improvements in forks.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a fork for use in eating or carving and characterized by having an ejector for pushing the material lifted by the fork olf of the tines.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fork as aforesaid in which the ejector is adapted to be actuated manually for ejecting and to be returned to retracted position by a spring.

A further object is to provide a fork as aforesaid having means for holding the ejector in dierent positions to which it has been manually moved.

For further comprehension of the invention,

andoi the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a fork constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the fork, parts being shown in full.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but, with a part, elevationally shown in Fig. 2, here shown in axial section.

Fig. i is an enlarged section onthe line ll-- oi Fig. 3.

'ig 5 is an enlarged perspective View of a latch elevationally shown in Fig. 3.

The present invention is directed toward providing a fork which can be employed in serving and which is provided with an ejector for pushing food oi of the tines of the fork.

The fork it, according to this invention comprises a hollow body II which serves as a handle for the person using the fork. A coil spring I2 is housed in the hollow interior of the body, resting at its bottom. A plunger I4 is disposed within the coil spring and extends at its opposite ends beyond opposite ends of the body. A pin i5 passing through the plunger in the hollow body at the top of the spring, forms an abutment for the top end of the spring.

A plate IE is formed as an integral unit at the bottom o1 the hollow body. VThis plate has a central crice through which the plunger extends, and on either side thereof a tine I1 is formed integral with the plate I8. While only two tines are shown, a greater number may be employed ii desired. The tines are sharp but if desired, they may be dull.

A plate I8 is formed as an integral member at the bottom with the plunger lli. rIhis plate has two spaced longitudinal orifices through which pass the tines Il. At the top of the plunger is a knob I9 which may be secured to the plunger by means of an internal thread matching 'an external thread on the upper end of the plunger.

The body is provided with a ilange 20 extending into its hollow interior at the top thereof, forming an abutment for the pin I5, spring I2 normally pressing pin I5 against this flange 20 and thereby holding plate I8 adjacent plate I6.

rihe plate I 8 forms an ejector for the tines, the plunger being the means for manually moving the ejector to eject food from the tines and the spring i2 being the means for returning the ejector to normal position when the plunger is released. Body II is shown made of two parts Ha and. Ilb threadedly connected together. While making the body in two parts facilitates assemblage of the various parts of the fork, the body may be made in one part if desired.

The operation of the fork, as so far described, is as follows:

The fork, as aforesaid, may be employed in serving food, carving meat or the like, or for other purposes for which an ordinary household fork is employed. rIhe person using the fork sticks the tines of the fork in or under the Inaterial to be lifted, and then pushes against the knob i9, the plate I8 sliding along the tines and pushing the food into the plate bowl or platter, the orifices of the plate I8 wiping the tines clean. The person then releases the knob and the spring I2, pressing against pin I5, returns the plate I8 to its original position adjacent the plate I.

As shown in Fig. 4, the plunger I`4` is hollow. The body part l Il has two annular notchesy 2| and 22, each of which has a horizontal top face and an inclined bottom face. A spring latch 23 is disposed in the hollow interior of the plunger above the top of the body and is pivoted therein by a pin 24. The latch has a latch member 25 projecting through a port 26 in the plunger wall and thereabove an arm 2l projecting through a port 28 in the plunger wall above port 25. The latch terminates at its upper end in an integral plate spring 29. This spring 29 has its upper end disposed in an annular groove 3U formed in the upper end of the plunger around a stem portion I9 centrally depending from the underside of the part oi the knob overlying its internally threaded bottom skirt. A ring 3l is slidably mounted on the plunger above the arm 2l.

The person using thefork may move the ring 3| over the arm 2l so that the latch member 25 is pushed into the interior of the plunger in an out of the way inoperative position. At times it may be desirable to use the fork with the ejector plate I8 at an intermediate position on the tines. For instance this may be desirable when a child is using the fork or when the fork is being used to pick up something it is not desired to entirely pierce, as when the fork is being used to hold a steak for carving and it is not desired that the tines should stick through the steak and press against the plate therebeneath. The advantage of this in the case of metal plates, such as silver, is obvious. Y

When it is desired to so shorten the effective length of the tines, the ring 3| is slid above the arm 21 and the plunger is pushed downward until the latch member 25 fits in either the groove 2l or 22 depending on the effective length of the tines desired. To return the plate I8 to normal position, all that is necessary is to push against the arm 21, thereby releasing the latch member 25 from the groove 2| or 22 as the case may be, spring I2 then pushing the plunger upward.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An ejector fork comprising a body having a central bore, a plate secured to one end of said body having an orifice in line with said bore, a hollow plunger disposed in said bore and extending beyond said body and plate at its opposite ends, tines secured to said plate and extending away from said body, an ejector plate having orices throughl which said tines extend secured to the adjacent end of said plunger, a coil spring in said bore urging said plunger in a direction holding said plates together, and means for holding said ejector plate at a position spaced from said body plate against the resistance of said spring.

2. An ejector fork comprising a body having a central bore, a plate secured to one end of said body having.an orifice in line with said bore, a hollow plunger disposed in said bore and extending beyond said body and plate at its opposite ends, tines secured to said plate and extending away from said body, an ejector plate having oriilces through which said tines extend secured to the adjacent end of said plunger, a coil spring in said bore urging said plunger in a direction holding said plates together, and means for holding said ejector plate at a position spaced from said body plate against the resistance of said spring, said means including a latch pivoted in said hollow plunger adapted to coact with the wall of said body bore.

3. An ejector fork comprising a body having a central bore, a plate secured to one end of said body having an orifice in line with said bore, a hollow plunger disposed in said bore, and extending beyond said body and plate at its opposite ends, tines secured to said plate and extending away from said body, an ejector plate having orices through which said tines extend secured to the adjacent end of said plunger, a coil spring in said bore urging said plunger in a direction holding said plates together, and means for holding said ejector plate at a position spaced from said body plate against the resistance of said spring, said means including a latch pivotally mounted in said plunger bore and having a latch member extending through an orifice in the wall of said plunger, a groove in said body bore for coaction With said latch member, and spring means urging said latch member through said orice.

4. An ejector fork comprising a body having a central bore, a plate secured to one end of said body having an orice in line with said bore, a hollow plunger disposed in said bore and extending beyond said body and plate at its opposite ends, tines secured to said plate and extending away from said body, an ejector plate having orifices through which said tines extend secured to the adjacent end of said plunger, a coil spring in said bore urging said plunger in a direction holding said plates together, and means for holding said ejector plate at a position spaced from said body plate against the resistance of said spring, said means including a knob on the other end of said plunger having an annular internal groove disposed over the adjacent end of said plunger bore, a latch pivoted in said plunger bore having an integral plate spring part disposed in said knob groove, a latch member extending through an orifice in the wall of said plunger and a latch-operating knob extending through an orice in said plunger wall, said body bore having a groove adapted to coact with said latch member.

SEYMOUR LIVINGSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the iile of this patent: f

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,172,333 Williams Feb. 22, 1916 1,747,039 Wyly Feb. 11, 1930 1,801,084 Huie Apr. 14, 1931 

